Packing structure



Jan. 29 1924- E. M. PARKS PACKING STRUCTURE Filed 001:. 24, 1922 Patented 3m. 29, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE.

N I. PARKS, Q1 SAWTELLE, CALIFORNIA.

PACKING STRUCTURE.

Application filed mm 24, 1922. Serial no. access.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, EMnRsoN M. PARKS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sawtelle, in the count of Los Angeles and I State of California, ave invented a new and useful Packing Structure, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to plunger packings and is particularly directed to a packing structure of an automatic character under control of the pressure packed against.

An object of the invention is to provide a packing structure in which the packing pressure is dependent upon the pressure packed against in a relative ratio in which the packing pressure, is'greater than sald pressure packed against.

A further object is to provide a packing structure in which compressible packing rings are axially compressed by means exposed to the pressure packed against and in which the surface of the rings engaged by said means is less than the surface ex-- posed to said ressure. '25 Another OlJJGClJ is to provide a packing structure associated with a deep well pump plunger and, cooperating with means for rotating the acking during an insertion of the pump p un'ger into a well tubing.

Various other objects and advanta es will be more fully apparent from the 0 owing description of the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this disclosure and which illustrate a preferred form 0 embodiment of the invention.

Of the drawings: Fig. 1 is a vertical section through an ordinary type of oil well apparatus.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged portion of Fig. 1 showing the pump plunger partly in section, and having associated with it my improved packin structure.

In the drawings 1 designates the pump tubing which usually comprises a plurality of, pipe sections joined by couplings, and which near its lower end is provided with a standing valve 2. Between two of the pipe sections is a working barrel 3 or cylinder in which the pump plunger reciprocates in a pumping operation, the pump plun er terminating with a valve cage 4, which attaches to the lower end of a suckerrod 5 by which the pum pum plun er shown in g a tu ular is operated. The etail in Fig. 2, has dy member 6, the lower end of which is screw-threaded into a tubular end member 7 providin I an annular seat 8. The member 7 may, if esired, be formed for connection with a garbutt-rod or for connection with other mechanism, but as such connection has no particular bearing upon the present invention detailed'illustration thereof is herein omitted. The upper ortion of the body 6. has an annular shou der 9 and its upper end is recessed to receive a valve seat member 10 and is externally screw-threaded: to receive the valve caige 4 which clamps the seat member in p ace.

The packing structure surrounds the body 6 between the seat 8 and the shoulder 9, and in the present embodiment such structure comprises a sleeve or follower 11 having an annular shoulder 12, a metal ring 13 accurately machined to fit the barrel 3 and the sleeve 11, and a plurality of alternate packing rings 14 and 15 surrounding the sleeve 11 between the shoulder 12 and the ring 13. Of the several packing rin s, the rings 14 are preferably formed 0 relatively soft metal such as copper, brass or babbitt, or or hard fiber, and the intermediate rings 15 preferably of leather, rubber, or fibrous packlng material such as asbestos.

' The sleeve 11 is accurately machined to have a close sliding fit on the body 6 and.

its upper end is internally recessed to provide a packing chamber in which is positioned suitable packing material 16 engaged by a follower ring 17. A sprin 18 retains. the follower against said packing material and the spring is retained in place by a top ring 19 screw-threaded upon and forming a part of the sleeve 11.

The upper surface 20 of the sleeve 11, as

a' part of the follower, and the lower surface 21 of the shoulder 9 have co-engaging clutch teeth 22 and 23, so that if in inserting the pump plunger into a well tubing the packing eco nes wedged in uneven or undersized tubing or for any reason becomes caught at some point :in the tubing, the teeth will be en aged, whereupon a turning of the sucker-r0 to rotate the packing structure coupled with a downward pressure will give the structure a screw-action enabling it' to work past such point.

Normally tlieJJsIeeVe '11 is s'gmedistance above the seat 8 andto prevent'a cushion efiect which would tend to retard thedownward movement of said sleeve, the lower surface of the ring 13 has a plurality of ports 24 which permits an escape of liquid or as from the space below the lower end of -t e sleeve. 1 v

In use, the packing structure above described has an automatic action which is caused by the weight of liquid in the well tubing above the pump plun er, that is, the weight of such liquid, whic is 1n the mstance the liquid packed aglainst acting upon the upper surface 20' of t e follower exerts a downward pressure thereon and effects a downward translation of the follower upon has a'definite relation to the pressure packed against, it being evident that such packing pressure will vary with variations 1n the pressure exerted upon the surface 20 of the follower. It will be understood that if the pressure packedagainst is, sa 500 pounds per square inch, I may by ma ing the area of the surface 20 two square inches, have a total compressing pressure of 1000 pounds u n the follower, and by making the area 0 lower surface of the shoulder 12, and of the co-engagin surfaces ofthe several rings one square 1nc said compression pressure of 1000 pounds is transmitted to said one square inch area, therefore, I have a packing pressure which is greatly in excess of the pressure packed against.

It will be understood that asthe pressure in the cylinder or working barrel above the plunger increases the packing pressureof the rings against the sleeve 11 and the wall of the working barrel will be increased-in proportion, and further that upon the nonpumping or down stroke of the plunger the pressure packed against being decreased, will result in a correspondingly decreased packing pressure, at the same time always maintalning a packing pressure in excess or the pressure above the plunger. I

From the above it will be evident that I have provided a packing structure, the efficienoy of which increases with an increase in the load and decreases with a decrease in the load. 7

While the specific. structure herein illusreduced invention to .-the gene embqdimcnt rein fdisclosed,'"-for it is'su'sceptibIe of ein diment in various other forms, all coming within the'scopeiof the following claims.

- I claim:

1. In a device of the nature disclosed, two relatively movable concentric members, one of said members having an annular seat and carrying a packing structure, said, packing structure comprising an axially movable sleeve havin an annular shoulder, and .a

compressible packin ring between said an: nular seatand sai upper surface of the sleeve bein exposed to the pressure packed against, w ereby said pressure will translate the sleeve to compress the packing ring and force it against the walls of the sleeve and of the other of said members. a a

2, In a device of the nature disclosed, two relat vely movable concentric members, one

rtion below said" shoulder, and a" annular shoulder, the p of said members having an annular seat and 1 carrying a packing structure, said packing structure comprising an axially movable sleeve having an annular shoulder and a reduced portion below said shoulder, and a plurality of packing rings between said annular seat and said annular shoulder, the

alternate rings being of compressible material and the; intermediate rings of relatively non-compressible material, the upper, surface of the sleeve being exposed to the pressure packed against whereby said pressure will translate the sleeve to compress the compressible rings and force them against the .walls of the sleeve and of the other of said members.

3. In adevice of the nature disclosed, a

cylinder, a plunger slidable therein and having an annular seat, a packing structure carried by the plunger and comprising a sleeve slidable thereon above said seat and having an annular shoulder and a reduced portion below said shoulder, and a packing ring sur-- rounding said reduced portion of the sleeve between said shoulder and said seat, the u per surface of the sleeve being ex osed to t e pressure within the cylinder, w ereby said pressure will translate the sleeve to compress the packing ring and force it against the walls of the sleeve and of the cylinder.

4. In a device of the nature disclosed, a cylinder, a plunger slidable therein and having an annular seat, a packing structure carried b the plunger and comprisin asleeve slidab e thereon abovesaid seat an having an annular shoulder and a reduced portion below said shoulder, and a packing ring surrounding said reduced portion of the sleeve said pressure will translate the sleeve to compress the packing ring and force it against the Walls of the sleeve and of the cylinder, and means permitting escape of pressure from below the sleeve.

5. In a device of the nature disclosed a cylinder, a plunger slidable therein and having an annular seat, a'packing structure car ried by the plunger and comprising a sleeve slidable thereon and having an annular shoulder and a reduced portion below said shoulder, and a plurality of packing rings surrounding said reduced portion of the sleeve in superposed relation between said seat and said shoulder, the alternate rings being of compressible material and the in termediate rings of relatively non-compressible material, the upper surface of the sleeve being exposed to the pressure within the cylinder whereby said pressure will axially translate said sleeve to compress the compressible rings and .force them ainst the walls of the sleeve and of the c lin er.

6. In a device of the nature disclosed a cylinder, a plunger slidable therein and having an annular seat, a packing structure carried b the plunger and comprising a sleeve slidab e thereon and having an annular shoulder and a reduced portion below said shoulder, and a plurality of packing rings surrounding said reduced portion of the sleeve in superposed relation between said seat and said shoulder, the alternate rings being of compressible material and the intermediate rings of relatively non-compressible material, the upper surface of the sleeve being exposed to the pressure within the cylinder whereby said pressure will axially translate said sleeve to compress the com-. pressible rings and .force them against the walls or the sleeve and of the cylinder, and means rmitting escape of pressure from below e sleeve.

7. In a device of the nature disclosed, a cylinder, a plunger slidable therein and having an annular seat, a packing structure carried by the plunger and comprising a sleeve slidable thereon above said seat and having an annular shoulder and a reduced portion below said shoulder, and a packing ring surrounding said reduced portion of the sleeve between said shoulder and said seat, and

packing means between the sleeve and the plunger, the up er surface of the sleeve being exgosed to t e pressure within the cylinder w ereby said pressure will translate the sleeve to compress the packing ring and force it against the walls of the sleeve and ofthe cylinder.

8. In a device of the nature disclosed, a

cylinder, a plunger slidable therein and having an annular seat, a packing structure carried by the plunger and comprising a sleeve slidable thereon above said seat and having an annular shoulder and a reduced portion below said shoulder, and a packing ring sur rounding said reduced portion of the sleeve between said shoulder and said seat, the upper surface of the sleeve bein exposed to the pressure within the cylin er, whereby said pressure will translate the sleeve to compress the packing ring and force it against the walls of the sleeve and ofthe cylinder, the sleeve and the plunger being provided with clutch means adaptedto be brought into cooperation whereupon the plunger and sleeve may be rotated together.

Signed at Los Angeles, California, this 18th day of October, 1922.

EMERSON M. PARKS. 

